Weaning and calcium

[Buntybear]

MPI - I have started to wean Olly and am concerned about his calcium requirements. He is 6.5 months now - when should I start to really think about how much calcium he is getting? I breastfeed and he is still only on 1 or 2 meals a day or fruit/veg purees.

Thanks

[~ Vik ~]

Hi!  I don't think that you have to worry at this point, especially if he's breastfeeding regularly (4+ times per day) that will be meeting all of his nutritional requirements.  Before age 1 milk is their main source of *everything*, and solids are really for fun and learning about new tastes and textures.

Around age 1 you want to make sure that he's getting a balanced diet that meets all of his nutritional needs.  My ds has a milk allergy and he drinks calcium fortified soy milk - there's also soy cheese, yogourt, etc.  If soy is a problem, there is oat milk, rice milk, etc. that could all help to meet his calcium needs.  Plenty of non dairy foods have calcium in them too, here's a link with a good list:  http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/nutrition/calcium_non_dairy.html

hth!

[Buntybear]

Excellent - Thanks.

Is it OK to introduce a soy/oat/rice milk now for cooking etc?? It is quite limiting not having cow's milk!!

[~ Vik ~]

Absolutely you can use it for cooking!  It does seem very limiting at first, as a lot of prepared food have milk ingredients. There's lots of support and recipe ideas here though

[Buntybear]

  Great, I have found some decent dairy free marg so at least now I can make white sauce to bind other things, even if he can't have a cheesey sauce! 

[anielasmommy]

i LOVE so delicious coconut creamer and milk it tastes nothing like coconut and is way better than rice milk also has added calcium. i also take calcium supplements